While standard interview questions may seem passe to some, CFOs still like the following "oldies but goodies":

Where do you see yourself in five years?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Tell me about yourself.
Tell me about your previous experience.
Why should we hire you?

Here are interview questions designed to learn about the person behind the resume:

Tell me five attributes that best describe you.
Describe something in your life that makes you happy.
How do you handle stress?
What are your interests outside of work?
What's your favorite baseball team?
What games did you play as a teenager?
What was your favorite subject in school?
If you could have any job in the world, what would it be and why

Ethics and personal values remain important to executives surveyed, judging by many of their favorite questions. Here are some examples:

What does the word 'integrity' mean to you?
Which is more important, family or work?
How would you deal with a colleague who undermines you?
On a scale of one to 10, what do you rate your work ethic?
Have you ever had to right a wrong, and how did you go about it?

Not all CFOs stick to the standards, however. Executives occasionally like to throw curveballs like these:

Tell me something funny that happened to you in the last six months.
What is your favorite animal?
If you could interview any three people, living or dead, who would they be?
Who is your favorite fictional character and why?
What is 99.5 divided by 2?
Why do you feel you deserve this position more than the next guy?
Why would you not hire yourself for this job?
How long are you going to work here?
If you were a manager, is there anything that you would change about yourself?

"Job seekers should rehearse responses to common interview questions, but also be able to think quickly on their feet so they can best answer whatever a hiring manager may ask," Messmer added.

Instant Insights /

PR: CFOs focus on personal attributes in job interviews

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